Integrity Legal

เมื่อเร็วๆนี้ผู้เขียนเห็นว่า มีสิ่งที่น่าสนใจอย่างหนึ่งคือ คอมเพล็กซ์การค้าแห่งใหม่ถูกจัดตั้งขึ้นในกรุงเทพฯเพื่อเอื้อต่อการค้าของจีนในประเทศไทยและภูมิภาคเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ อ้างโดยตรงจากเว็บไซต์ของวอยซ์ออฟอเมริกา (Voice of America News)

สื่อของจีนกล่าวว่า การทำงานจะเริ่มต้นในเดือนนี้ในคอมเพล็กซ์ที่กรุงเทพฯซึ่งผู้ผลิตของจีนสามารถที่จะส่งออกสินค้าได้

หนังสือพิมพ์ประจำวันของจีนกล่าวเมื่วันพฤหัสบดีว่า คอมเล็กซ์ซิตี้จีนนี้มีมูลค่า 1.5 พันล้านบาทและมีพื้นที่เกือบจะ สามในสี่ตารางกิโลเมตร ผู้ผลิตจีนสามารถที่จะนำเข้าสินค้ายังประเทศไทย ได้รับผลประโยชน์จากการตกลงการค้าใหม่นี้ และส่งสินค้าไปยังสหรัฐอเมริกาและยุโรปปภายใต้สิทธิประโยชน์ทางโควต้าและภาษี

เป็นเรื่องที่นน่าสนใจว่า จีนนั้นกลายเป็นประเทศที่มีเศรษฐกิจจใหญ่ที่สุดเป็นอันดับสองของโลกในปี 2010 แผนงานนี้มีแนวโน้มที่จะส่งผลที่จะเพิ่มความสัมพันธ์ทางด้านเศรษฐกิจระหว่างจีนและประเทศไทยมากขึ้น วอยซ์ออฟอเมริกาเขียนในเว็บไซต์ดังนี้

จีนกำลังใช้แผนงานการค้าและการพาณิชย์ในการพัฒนาการทูตและยุทธศาสตร์ต่างๆในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวงพาณิชย์ อลงกรณ์ พลบุตร ถูกอ้างในหนังสือพิมพ์ประจำวันของจีนว่า คอมเพล็กซ์ซิตี้จีนนั้นสร้างความสัมพันธ์ทางเศรษฐกิจที่ดีในลักษณะพันธมิตรทางธุรกิจไทยและจีน

สัญญาการค้าเสรีของจีนกับประเทศสมาชิกในประชาคมเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ได้ข้อสรุปแล้วเมื่อปีที่ผ่านมา

นอกจากเรื่องทางการทูตและยุทธศาสตร์แล้ว แผนงานนี้จะช่วยส่งผลต่อสิทธิประโยชน์ทางเศรษฐกิจมากมายแก่ประเทศในกลุ่มอาเซียน (ประชาคมเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้)โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งประเทศไทย แผนงานด้านการการพาณิชย์ที่ได้นำเสนอไปนั้นมีแนวโน้มที่จะช่วยสร้างโอกาสในการทำงานให้แก่คนไทยในแถบกรุงเทพฯ สร้างโอกาสทางธุรกิจแก่นักลงทุนไทย สร้างโอกาสทางการค้าแก่คนไทย จีน และนักลงทุนชาวต่างชาติและเป็นการเพิ่มการหมุนเวียนสินค้า เงินทุน แรงงานและทรัพยากรแก่ประเทศไทยและภูมิภาคอาเซียน

ในแต่ละปี บริษัทต่างชาติและผู้ที่สนใจเลือกที่จะลงทุนทำธุรกิจในประเทศไทย ในบางกรณี นักลงทุนที่รวมกลุ่มกับบริษัทไทยนั้นเพื่อที่จะจำกัดความรับผิดในการทำธุรกิจ ในบางครั้งหลายๆคนเลือกที่จะทำธุรกิจแบบกิจการเจ้าของคนเดียว ห้างหุ้นส่วนนั้นช่วยเพิ่มระดับของการจำกัดความรับผิดร่วมกันตามจำนวนสมาชิกของห้างหุ้นส่วนจำกัดในประเทศไทย ความเสี่ยงที่มากขึ้นทางธุรกิจในประเทศไทยบางครั้งเลือกที่จะจดทะเบียนเป็นบริษัทมหาชน ในบางกรณีผู้ที่ต้องการจะลงทุน หรือทำธุรกิจในประเทศไทยควรที่จะติดต่อสำนักงานกฎหมายเพื่อที่จะขอคำแนะนำและปรึกษาเกี่ยวกับหลักเกณฑ์ในกฎหมายไทยที่จะเป็นประโยชน์ต่อธุรกิจให้เป็นที่ปรากฏในตลาดประเทศไทย ชาวต่างชาติที่ทำงานในประเทศไทยนั้นต้องคำนึงถึงว่า ประเทศไทยต้องมีใบอนุญาตการทำงานจึงจะถูกต้องตามกฎหมายไทย

ประเด็นที่เกี่ยวข้องกับข้อสงสัยเรื่องทรัพย์สินของไทยหรืออสังหาริมทรัพย์ของไทยภายในบริบทของธุรกรรมทางธุรกิจหลายเขตอำนาจศาลนั้นเป็นเรื่องที่ซับซ้อนและมีหลากหลายแง่มุม ด้วยเหตุผลนี้เอง ชาวต่างชาติหรือบริษัทต่างชาติที่ดำเนินธุรกิจในประเทศไทยควรที่จะใช้บริการของบริษัทที่จะให้ความช่วยเหลือในด้านทรัพย์สินในประเทศไทยในการตัดสินใจรื่องที่เพิกถอนไม่ได้ในประเด็นของอสังหาริมทรัพย์และทรัพย์สินในประเทศไทย

To view this post in English please see: Thai Company.

Tags: Chinese Business in Thailand, Thai Company, Voice of America, คอมเพล็กซ์จีนในไทย, ธุรกิจจีน, ธุรกิจในไทย, ธุรกิจไทย, ธุรกิจไทย-จีน, บริษัทนำเข้าเเละส่งออกไทย-จีน
Posted in ธุรกิจในประเทศจีน, ธูรกิจในประเทศไทย, บริการทางกฎหมายจีน | No Comments »

The legal profession is being transformed in more ways than one. The rise of the legal outsourcing industry has resulted in a substantial change to the way in which individuals and firms practice law. Meanwhile, American businesses are becoming increasingly assiduous in analyzing expenses related to legal services. No matter what can be said about the legal profession one thing is clear: simply being a lawyer, particularly a young lawyer, does not automatically mean that one will become wealthy, or, for that matter, even employed. In fact, by many estimates, the legal profession in the USA might not be as lucrative as once thought, at least for young law school graduates. In a recent New York Times article entitled “Is Law School a Losing Game?” writer  David Segal writes about the travails of recent law school grads and their activities after graduation. It was not an uplifting article for those aspiring American attorneys with visions of sports cars and six figure salaries dancing in their heads. To quote directly from the aforementioned article:

[T]he glut of diplomas, the dearth of jobs and those candy-coated employment statistics have now yielded a crop of furious young lawyers who say they mortgaged their future under false pretenses. You can sample their rage, and their admonitions, on what are known as law school scam blogs, with names like Shilling Me Softly, Subprime JD and Rose Colored Glasses.

Everyone hates lawyers…until they need one. This blogger, much like the members of the legal profession noted in the opening credits of the film The Rainmaker, loves lawyer jokes; but the profession of law in America is a noble undertaking and should be treated seriously especially by attorneys. This is why the economic impact of recent downturns upon the legal profession is so troubling. In order to practice law, prospective attorneys need to receive proper training and instruction in the law itself and the many ways in which it is applied. Furthermore, law school should be an exercise in learning about the law and the application thereof, not learning how to run a creative statistics racket. It would appear that some Law Schools view their role as one which is solely fixated upon the profit motive, often at the expense of the overall legal profession. For example, at a time when there are fewer legal jobs and more students going into deeper debt to obtain a Juris Doctorate of questionable utility under current market conditions shouldn’t law schools be making an effort to take less students? The more newly minted lawyers roll off the conveyor belt of academia, the more the demand for jobs goes up, but wait, the number of actual jobs is decreasing and yet the conveyor belts roll on.

In what is seemingly an effort to raise profits, those whose fortunes are attached to that of the legal education business seem to be reporting rosily on the prospects of newly minted law graduates notwithstanding the fact that the real world situation for newly licensed lawyers is rather bleak (for now). The New York Times article noted above went on:

But improbably enough, law schools have concluded that life for newly minted grads is getting sweeter, at least by one crucial measure. In 1997, when U.S. News first published a statistic called “graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation,” law schools reported an average employment rate of 84 percent. In the most recent U.S. News rankings, 93 percent of grads were working — nearly a 10-point jump.

In the Wonderland of these statistics, a remarkable number of law school grads are not just busy — they are raking it in. Many schools, even those that have failed to break into the U.S. News top 40, state that the median starting salary of graduates in the private sector is $160,000. That seems highly unlikely, given that Harvard and Yale, at the top of the pile, list the exact same figure.

How do law schools depict a feast amid so much famine?

“Enron-type accounting standards have become the norm,” says William Henderson of Indiana University, one of many exasperated law professors who are asking the American Bar Association to overhaul the way law schools assess themselves. “Every time I look at this data, I feel dirty.”

This situation is simply absurd. The Law Schools in the United States bloat the appearance of the post-graduate legal prospects in order to bring in more law students. Meanwhile, the legal profession itself is taking serious hits in terms of economics as more businesses in the United States begin using outsourcing services and the number of jobs in the legal profession declines. Again, to note the New York times Story:

Today, countless J.D.’s are paying their bills with jobs that have nothing do with the law, and they are losing ground on their debt every day. Stories are legion of young lawyers enlisting in the Army or folding pants at Lululemon. Or baby-sitting, like Carly Rosenberg, of the Brooklyn Law School class of 2009.

“I guess I kind of assumed that someone would hook me up with something,” she says. She has sent out 15 to 20 résumés a week since March, when she passed the bar. So far, nothing.

Jason Bohn is earning $33 an hour as a legal temp while strapped to more than $200,000 in loans, a sizable chunk of which he accumulated during his time at Columbia University, where he finished both a J.D. and a master’s degree.

The stories noted above are quite disturbing, but one thing should be brought to the reader’s attention: licensed lawyers, in good standing, can practice law in their jurisdiction, they do not need a “job”. This blogger finds it interesting that the so-called Millenials seem so transfixed by the idea of “jobs”. An attorney’s profession is his or her job. Therefore, those who cannot get on at a law firm could begin practicing law as a solo practitioner. When getting started, the pay is usually not so great and it is likely that one will not have clients lining up outside the office from day one, but it is, at least arguably; better than waiting by the phone or babysitting. Law Students and lawyers should look to unorthodox strategies for making money in law school and upon graduation. This blogger worked at a Casino as a part-time poker and blackjack dealer throughout law school and, illuminatingly, this was the only vocation offering employment upon graduation notwithstanding all of the supposed job offers which were to have materialized upon passage of the Bar examination.

Clearly, the machinations of US Law Schools, the American Bar Association, and U.S. News and World Report need to be addressed in such a way that post-Law School prospects are accurately reflected prior to matriculation, but fault can also be found in the Law students, and presumably eventual lawyers; themselves. Later in the article, the author went on to note that some students used student loans to finance all manner of, questionably useful, expenses. The author of the previously mentioned article noted one law student’s expenses:

[He] rented a spacious apartment. He also spent a month studying in the South of France and a month in Prague — all on borrowed money. There were cost-of-living loans, and tuition of about $33,000 a year. Later came a $15,000 loan to cover months of studying for the bar.

Today, his best guess is that he should be sending $2,000 to $3,000 a month in total, to lenders that include Wells Fargo, Citibank and Sallie Mae.

It is difficult to argue that this gentleman could choose to pay tuition since one cannot hope to ultimately receive a law degree without doing so, but common sense should at least tell the reader that studying American law in the South of France, on borrowed funds, is something less than an exercise in austerity. Also, the month in Prague looks more like a vacation than a pedagogical exercise since there is no mention of studying in that location. Furthermore, this author personally has never understood the necessity of a “bar exam loan”. While studying for the Bar examination, this blogger toyed with the notion of taking such a loan, but in the end the decision was made to simply continue working as much as possible, living as cheaply as possible (which included living back at home for a brief period), and trying to pass the bar as quickly as possible in order to move on.

Borrowing funds to study for the Bar examination is not irresponsible per se as some truly need such a loan in order to maintain themselves during the interim between law school graduation and bar exam passage, but those taking on more debt simply to study for the Arizona Bar examination in the South of France should perhaps rethink the logic of such a plan. Individuals thinking of doing taking a bar exam loan should analyze such an action before making an irrevocable decision especially since it is never a foregone conclusion that one will pass the bar on the first, or for that matter; any, attempt.  The limbo zone between Law School graduation and Bar passage is not an enjoyable place, but trips to the South of France and Prague do not seem to be in line with the usual legal curriculum.

As can be seen from this very interesting article, and those reading this post are well advised to read the whole thing for themselves, the practice of law and the legal profession are not recession-proof. However, some financial common sense on the part of law school applicants, students, graduates, and attorneys would likely lead to less stories of unemployed lawyers with a quarter million dollars in debt. That said, law schools really should be in the business of educating legal professionals and not devoted to “massaging” numbers to look good in U.S. News. Hopefully, some new statistical methods can be utilized by the ABA and U.S. News which will provide real insight to prospective law students about the actual prospects for new lawyers after law school and/or the bar examination rather than “pie in the sky” statistics used to inflate the public perception of one Law school over another.

For information about legal services in SouthEast Asia please see: Legal.

Tags: Bar Exam Loans, David Segal, Is Law School a Losing Game?, LAw SChool Loans, Legal Process Outsourcing, Legal Profession, Practice of Law, Student Loans
Posted in News, Opinion | No Comments »

The following is the holiday closing schedule of the United States Consulate in Shanghai, China as quoted directly from the Post’s official website:

The Consulate, including the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit, is scheduled to be closed on the following dates in observance of year 2011 official American and Chinese holidays.

**        January 3          Monday          New Year’s Day
*          January 17        Monday          Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
**        February 2-6     Wed-Sun        Chinese (Lunar) New Year
*          February 21       Monday          President’s Day
**        April 5                Tuesday         Tomb Sweeping Day
**        May 1-2             Sun-Mon         International Labor Day
*          May 30               Monday          Memorial Day
**        June 6                Monday          Dragon Boat Festival
*          July 4                 Monday          Independence Day
*          September 5      Monday          Labor Day
**        September 12    Monday          Mid-Autumn Festival
**        October 1-5       Sat-Wed         Chinese National Day
*          October 10        Monday          Columbus Day
*          November 11     Friday             Veteran’s Day
*          November 24     Thursday        Thanksgiving Day
*          December 26     Monday          Christmas Day

*          Americans Holidays
**        Chinese Holidays
***      Chinese and American Holidays

Those who have read through this blog with any frequency may have already noted that the author routinely posts holiday closing schedules of US Posts as a courtesy to travelers abroad. Although the various websites of many US Missions post this information themselves, it can sometimes prove difficult to find for those who are in a rush or for those who have not previously used a US Embassy website. Furthermore, the administration hopes that by gathering many of these schedules together in one place it will prove beneficial for those American travelers and expatriates who routinely travel throughout Asia.

To visit the official homepage of the US Consulate in Shanghai please click HERE.

Those seeking services such as issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, US Passport, or new visa pages for a previously issued US Passport are well advised to contact the American Citizen Services Section of the nearest US Consulate. Please note that some US Consulates abroad allow individuals to make an appointment with the Post to process their request. Making an appointment in advance can greatly streamline the processing of requests since Consular Officers can anticipate some of the needs of the customer prior to their arrival at the Post.

Those seeking visas such as the B-2 tourist visa, F-1 student visa, J-1 exchange visitor visa, or the B-1 business visa are likely to process their application through a Non-Immigrant Visa Unit abroad. Meanwhile, those seeking United States Lawful Permanent Residence for Chinese family members are likely to process their application through an Immigrant Visa Unit at a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad. For processing purposes, the K-1 visa, a non-immigrant US fiance visa, is generally treated as if it were an immigrant visa since the applicant is entitled to file for adjustment of status within 90 days of entering the USA and after legally marrying the petitioner.

Employment based visa categories such as the L-1 visa or Investor visa categories such as the EB-5 visa generally require the filing and approval of a US immigration petition from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) before a visa application can be processed abroad.

For related information please see: US Visa China.

Tags: Adjustment of Status, American Consulate Shanghai, American Immigration China, American Visa China, B-1 Visa China, B-2 tourist visa, B-2 Visa China, F-1 student visa, F-1 Visa China, J-1 exchange visitor visa, J-1 Visa China, K1 Visa China, or the B-1 business visa, US Consulate China, US Consulate Shanghai, US Consulate Shanghai Holidays, US Embassy China, US Visa China
Posted in US Consulate Shanghai | No Comments »

As this blogger has personally found himself at United States Embassies and Consulates overseas that were, previously unbeknown to him, closed due to observance of either an American or foreign holiday. In order to try to forestall this from happening to other travelers in the future, this blog routinely posts holiday closing schedules of various US Missions in Asia. The following is the holiday closing schedule of the United States Consulate in Shenyang, China:

The Consulate is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are CLOSED on the following American and Chinese holidays:

To visit the official homepage of the United States Consulate in Shenyang’s website please click HERE.

Some individuals traveling to a US Post abroad are doing so because they are seeking services which can only be obtained from an American Citizen Services section of a US Mission abroad. Services such as this include, but are not limited to, issuance of a US Passport for those who have lost their original passport abroad, issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad for an American child born overseas, or issuance of new visa pages for a previously issued passport.

Those foreign nationals seeking non-immigrant visa benefits are likely to process their application through a Non-Immigrant Visa (NIV) Unit of a US Mission abroad. Therefore those seeking a US Tourist Visa in China are likely to process their application through an NIV Unit of their nearest US Mission.

Those seeking US family visa benefits are likely to process their application through an Immigrant Visa Unit of a US Mission abroad. In general, the K-1 visa, although technically a non-immigrant US fiance visa, is treated as if it were an immigrant visa for processing purposes.

Those Chinese Citizens seeking employment based visas such as the L-1 visa or investment based visas such as the EB-5 Visa may be required to process an immigration petition through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) prior to processing their visa application through one of the various US Posts in the Peoples’ Republic of China.

For related information please see: EB-5 Visa China.

Tags: American Consulate China, American Consulate Shenyang, American Embassy China, American Visa China, American Visa Shenyang, CR-1 Visa China, EB-5 Visa China, IR-1 Visa China, K-1 Visa China, L-1 Visa China, US Consulate Shenyang, US Embassy China, US Tourist Visa China, US Visa China, US Visa Shenyang, USCIS
Posted in US Consulate Shenyang | No Comments »

Anyone who reads this blog with any type of regularity may have noted that the administration routinely posts the holiday closing schedules of various United States Missions in Asia, this is done in an effort to provide quick access to this information for those who are traveling outside of the USA. To quote directly from the official website of the United States Consulate in Guangzhou, China:

The Consulate is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are CLOSED on the following American and Chinese holidays:

Those who wish to visit the homepage of the US Consulate in Guangzhou please click HERE.

Those seeking issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, new US Passport, or new visa pages for a previously issued US passport are well advised to contact the American Citizen Services (ACS) Section of the nearest US Embassy or US Consulate. Those seeking such services may find processing such requests mare efficient after making an appointment online. In many cases, making an appointment with ACS prior to arrival at the Mission provides Consular Officers with an opportunity to make preparations to better facilitate the processing of a specific request.

Those processing non-immigrant visas such as the B-2 visa for tourists, the B-1 visa for temporary business travelers, the J-1 visa for cultural exchange students, and the F-1 visa for foreign students wishing to study in the USA; may be required to process their applicatyion through a Non-Immigrant Visa Unit abroad.

Those attempting to obtain a US Immigrant visa such as a CR-1 visa or an IR-1 visa in order to reunite with family in the USA may be required to process their application through an Immigrant Visa Unit at a United States Mission abroad. For purposes of application processing the K-1 visa (also referred to as a US fiance visa) is effectively treated as an immigrant visa since K-1 visa holders are entitled to apply for adjustment of status after arrival in the USA provided the couple marries within 90 days of the foreign fiancee’s arrival in the US.

For related information please see: American Visa China.

Tags: American Visa China, B-1 Visa China, B-2 Visa China, CR-1 Visa China, F-1 Visa China, IR-1 Visa China, J-1 Visa China, K-1 Visa China, K1 Visa China, Lost Passport China, Stolen Passport China, US Consulate Guangzhou, US Consulate Guangzhou Holidays, US Embassy China, US Immigration China, US Passport China, US Visa China, US Visa Guangzhou
Posted in US Consulate Guangzhou | No Comments »

American Citizens and United States Lawful Permanent Residents often travel outside of the USA. In situations where one is traveling abroad it may prove necessary to go to a US Embassy overseas in order to obtain services which can only be performed by a Consular Officer. In order to forestall unnecessary trips to American Posts abroad this blog routinely posts the holiday closing schedules of various US Missions in Asia. This blogger has personally experienced the frustration that can result from traveling to an American Embassy only to find it closed in observance of one of the more obscure American holidays or a holiday routinely observed by the host nation. Hopefully posting this information will keep others from making the same mistake. To quote directly from the official website of the United States Embassy in Beijing, China:

Embassy Holidays for 2011

**        January 3          Monday          New Year’s Day
*          January 17        Monday          Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
**        February 2-6     Wed-Sun        Chinese (Lunar) New Year
*          February 21       Monday          President’s Day
**        April 5                Tuesday          Tomb Sweeping Day
**        May 1-2             Sun-Mon        International Labor Day
*          May 30               Monday          Memorial Day
**        June 6                Monday          Dragon Boat Festival
*          July 4                 Monday          Independence Day
*          September 5      Monday          Labor Day
**        September 12    Monday          Mid-Autumn Festival
**        October 1-5       Sat-Wed         Chinese National Day
*          October 10        Monday          Columbus Day
*          November 11     Friday             Veteran’s Day
*          November 24     Thursday       Thanksgiving Day
*          December 26     Monday          Christmas Day

*          Americans Holidays
**        Chinese Holidays
***      Chinese and American Holidays

Those interested in services such as the issuance of new visa pages, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, or US Passports are well advised to contact an American Citizen Services (ACS) Section of the nearest US Mission abroad. It may also prove wise to set an appointment with ACS online as doing so often facilitates smoother processing of requests made by those appearing at the Consulate.

For those seeking the homepage of the US Embassy in Beijing please click HERE.

American Citizens and/or Lawful Permanent Residents wishing to obtain family visa benefits for a Chinese loved one are likely to process their visa application through an Immigrant Visa Unit at a US Embassy or US Consulate abroad. For purposes of visa processing, the K1 visa, although officially a non-immigrant US fiance visa, is treated in much the same way as immigrant visas such as the CR-1 visa and the IR-1 visa.

Those seeking Investment based visas such as the EB-5 visa or employment based visas such as the L-1 visa are usually required to have an immigration petition approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) before the visa application can be processed at a US Mission abroad.

Those seeking a non-immigrant B-2 visa (tourists), B-1 visa (short term business traveler), J-1 visa (exchange visitor), F-1 visa (student visa) are likely required to process their visa application through a Non-Immigrant Visa Unit of a US Mission abroad.

For related information please see: US Visa China.

Tags: American Visa China, American Visa PRC, K-1 Visa China, K1 Visa China, US Visa China, US Visa PRC
Posted in Thailand Business | No Comments »

Those who keep up with the news in the United States of America may have seen recent news reports regarding the recent shooting of a United States Representative and Federal District Court Judge. To quote directly from the website Indianexpress.com:

Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and 18 others were shot Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Giffords was meeting with constituents.

Six of the victims died, among them John M Roll, the chief judge for the United States District Court for Arizona, and a nine-year-old girl…

It seems as if the shootings were motivated by the suspected gunman’s opposition to the political and legal positions held by some of the victims with respect to United States Immigration policy. To quote Indianexpress.com further:

The shootings raised questions about potential political motives, with Pima County Sheriff Clarence W Dupnik blaming “the toxic political environment in Arizona”.

Giffords, who represents the Eighth District in Arizona, has been an outspoken critic of the state’s tough immigration law, which is focused on identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants, and she had come under criticism for her vote in favour of the health care law. Friends said she had received threats over the years.

Generally, immigration issues are considered somewhat mundane by those who are interested in American policy, but the American immigration debate has grown increasingly intense since the State of Arizona recently passed controversial legislation aimed at stemming the inflow of illegal and/or undocumented immigrants entering the State of Arizona by way of the international border between the United States of America and its southern neighbor Mexico. To quote directly from an article in the New York Times from April 2010:

Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration into law on Friday. Its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. The move unleashed immediate protests and reignited the divisive battle over immigration reform nationally. Even before she signed the bill at an afternoon news conference here, President Obama strongly criticized it.

It is interesting to note that American Presidents rarely ever even comment upon legislation passed at the State level as State legislation is often viewed as being within the exclusive bailiwick of State authorities. However, there are strong arguments that Arizona’s passage of the aforementioned legislation represents an infringement upon the Federal government’s right to set and maintain United States Immigration policy. The New York Times’ article went on to note further:

The Arizona law, he added, threatened “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”

The law, which proponents and critics alike said was the broadest and strictest immigration measure in generations, would make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and give the police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Opponents have called it an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics regardless of their citizenship status.

The Arizona law represents an interesting controversy from a legal perspective as fundamental Constitutional issues such as Separation of Powers and Federalism are directly impacted by the enactment and subsequent enforcement of this law. The tragic aspect of this situation is that the immigration issue is one which could, and arguably should, be solved through the legislative process and reasoned debate. The fact that American immigration policy may be at the source of the recent shootings is tragic due to the loss of life. Also, it is likely that this shooting will exacerbate an already heated debate on the issue of Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the enforcement of US Immigration law in general.

For related information on American immigration please see: I-601 waiver or Department of Homeland Security.

Tags: American Immigration, American Immigration News, CIR, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, illegal immigration, Judge John M Roll, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, State of Arizona, Undocumented Immigration, US Immigration, US Immigration News, US Southwestern Border, US-Mexico Border
Posted in Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Department of Homeland Security, News | No Comments »

It recently came to the attention of the administration of this blog that a new trade complex is to be erected in Bangkok for the purpose of facilitating the trade of Chinese goods in Thailand and Greater South East Asia. To quote directly from the Voice of America News website:

Chinese state media say work will begin this month on a massive trading complex in Bangkok where Chinese manufacturers will be able to re-export their goods.

The China Daily newspaper said Thursday that the China City Complex will cost $1.5 billion and sprawl over almost three-quarters of a square kilometer. Chinese manufacturers will be able to import goods to Thailand, taking advantage of a new free trade deal, and then ship to the United States and Europe under more advantageous quotas and tariffs.

It is interesting to note that China officially became the second largest economy in the world in 2010. This plan will likely result in an increasingly prosperous trade relationship between the Peoples’ Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand. The Voice of America News website went on:

China has been using trade and commercial projects to improve its diplomatic and strategic standing in Southeast Asia. Thailand’s deputy minister of commerce, Alongkorn Ponlaboot, is quoted by China Daily saying the China City Complex corroborates “a strategic business-partner relationship” between China and Thailand.

China’s free-trade agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations was concluded last year.

Putting aside diplomatic and strategic matters, the ambitious project could result in economic benefits for many ASEAN countries (Association of South East Asian Nations) especially Thailand. The creation of a new commercial project such as the one proposed will likely come with the added benefit of new jobs for Thais near Bangkok, new business opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs, new trade opportunities for Thai, Chinese, and other foreign investors; and an overall increase in the flow of goods, capital, labor, and resources to the Kingdom of Thailand and the Greater ASEAN region.

Each year, foreign companies and individuals opt to pursue business ventures in the Kingdom of Thailand. In some cases, entrepreneurs incorporate a Thai Company in order to maintain limited liability while conducting business. Sometimes individuals opt to do business under a Thai sole proprietorship. Partnerships often prefer the added layer of limited liability that can be conferred upon certain members of a Limited Liability Partnership in Thailand. Large ventures conducting business in Thailand occasionally opt to take their enterprise public through the registration of a Thai public company. In any case, those wishing to conduct trade or business in the Kingdom of Thailand are well advised to contact a Law Firm in Thailand as advice and counsel regarding the unique aspects of Thai law can be highly advantageous for businesses making their first appearance in the Thai market. Foreign nationals employed or working in Thailand should note that all foreigners working within the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Thailand are required to have a Thai work permit in order to lawfully take up virtually any type of employment.

Matters pertaining to the acquisition of Thai property or Thai Real Estate within the context of multi-jurisdictional business transactions can be complex and multifaceted. For this reason it is highly advisable that foreign nationals or foreign companies conducting business in the Kingdom of Thailand retain the services of a firm to assist with Thai property matters prior to making an irrevocable decisions regarding the acquisition of Thai real estate or property.

For related information please see: US Company Registration or Legal.

Tags: Asian Business, ASsociation of Southeast ASian Nations, Business in ASEAN, Chinese Business in Thailand, SouthEast Asia Business, Thai Business, Thai Property, Thai Real Estate, Thailand Business, Thailand Property, Thailand Real Estate
Posted in Ecommerce, News, Thailand Business, Thailand company, Thailand Property, Thailand Real Estate, Thailand Visa, Thailand Work Permit | No Comments »

เมื่อเร็วๆนี้สิ่งที่เป็นที่น่าสนใจของบล็อกคือ ความพยายามของสมาคมทนายความคนเข้าเมืองอเมริกันในการที่จะให้กงสุลที่ความตื่นตัวที่จะออกใบรับรองการเกิดในต่างประเทศและเพิ่มความพยายามที่จะสร้างขั้นตอนเพื่อลดการปลอมแปลงเอกสารที่สำคัญนี้ อ้างโดยตรงจากเว็บไซต์กระทรวงแห่งสหรัฐอเมริกา:

กระทรวงแห่งรัฐมีความยินดีเป็นอย่างยิ่งที่จะแนะนำการออกแบบใหม่ของรายงานกงสุลในเรื่องการเกิดในต่างแดน(CRBA) CRBAนี้เป็นบันทึกที่รับรองอย่างเป็นทางการว่า เด็กที่เกิดในต่างแดนจากพ่อแม่ที่เป็นพลเมืองอเมริกานั้นได้สัญชาติอเริกันโดยการเกิด เอกสารที่มีการออกแบบใหม่นี้มีความปลอดภัยซึ่งสามารถที่จะขัดขวางการเปลี่ยนแปลงหรือปลอมแปลงได้

สถานทูตอเมริกาและสถานกงสุลทั่วโลกได้มีการพิมพ์ CRBAs ตั้งแต่การริเริ่มในปี1919 มีผลบังคับตั้งแต่วันที่ 3 มกราคม 2554 ซึ่งจะมีการพิมมพ์ที่หน่วยบริการพาสปอร์ตในพิร์ตเมาส์ นิวแฮมเชียร์ และนิวออร์ลีน หลุยเซียนา การเป็นศูนย์กลางของการผลิตและการกำจัดการแจกจ่ายแบบฟอร์มที่ว่างเปล่าทั่วโลกเป็นหลักประกันว่า ต้องมีการปรับปรุงคุณภาพของรูปแบบและลดการปลอมแปลง

การยื่นขอพาสปอร์ตสหรัฐอเมริกาและการออกแบบCRBA จะใช้ในแง่มุมของผู้ปกครองดูแลซึ่งตรงข้ามกับแม่และพ่อ การเปลี่ยนแปลงที่สำคัญต้องการที่จะอธิบายถึงเพศของเด็กที่ได้มาจากพ่อและแม่และความแตกต่างของครอบครัวแต่ละแบบ

มันยังคงเป็นการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่มีผลกระทบต่อพฤติการณ์การฉ้อฉลที่เกี่ยวข้องกับรายงานของกงสุลเกี่ยวกับการเกิดในต่างประเทศ อาจกล่าวได้ว่า รายงานของกงสุลเกี่ยวกับการเกิดในต่างประเทศนั้นเป็นการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่สำคัญในเรื่องของเอกสารในฐานะที่เป็นหลักฐานแสดงสัญชาติของคนอเมริกันที่เกิดนอกสหรัฐอเมริกา โดยส่วนมากพ่อแม่มักได้รับรายงานของกงสุลเกี่ยวกับการเกิดทันทีก่อนที่จะขอพาสปอร์ตสหรัฐอเมริกาในฐานะของเด็กที่เกิดในต่างประเทศ

ผู้เขียนบล็อกเห็นว่า สิ่งที่น่าสนใจคือ กระทรวงแห่งรัฐมีขั้นตอนที่สร้างเอกสารที่มีความเป็นกลางทางเพศมากขึ้น เช่นเดียวกับการเคลื่อนไหวในปี 2010 กระทรวงแห่งรัฐประกาศมาตรการที่จะนำไปใช้ในทางปฏิบัติเพื่อที่จะอนุญาตให้มีการแปลงเพศและเปลี่ยนเพศในพาสปอร์ตสหรัฐอเมริกา นับเป็นสิ่งที่ปรากฏได้ว่า ความพยายามต่อความเป็นกลางทางเพศในการที่จะปรับเลี่ยนข้อมูลรายงายของกงสุลเกี่ยวกับเด็กที่เกิดในต่างประเทศทำให้ตระหนักว่า บทบาททางเพศภายในครอบครัวและโดยโครงสร้างของครอบครัวอเมริกัน ครอบครัวอเมริกันนนั้นได้มีการฉีกกฎเดิมมากขึ้นเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับในอดีต

ายใต้สถานการณ์ที่แน่นอน เด็กที่เกิดนอกสหรัฐอเมริกานั้นไม่สามารถที่จะได้รับสิทธิการเป็นพลเมืองสหรัฐอเมริกาโดยอัตโนมัติ พ่อแม่ชาวอเมริกันนั้นสามารถที่จะทำให้เด็กกลายเป็นพลเมืองอเมริกันได้โดยการยื่นคำขอรับสิทธิประโยชน์คนเข้าเมืองตามพระราชบัญญัติสัญชาติเด็ก (CCA)ปี 2000 เด็กที่เกิดจากคนสัญชาติอเมริกันนั้นกลายเป็นพลเมืองสหรัฐอเมริกาโดยกฎหมายซึ่งตา CCA จะได้รับใบรับรองสัญชาติซึ่งเหมือนกับใบรับรองการแปลงสัญชาติแม้ว่าในทางทฤษฎีผู้ถือจะไม่ได้สัญชาติอเมริกันโดยตามธรรมชาติ

For related information please see: Department of State.

Tags: CCA, Child Citizenship Act, consular report of birth abroad, CRBA, Department of State, us embassy bangkok, us embassy thailand, การได้สัญชาติอเมริกัน, คนเข้าเมืองอเมริกา, พาสปอร์ตอเมริกา, รายงานการเกิดในต่างเเดน, วีซ่าอเมริกา, สัญชาติอเมริกัน
Posted in สถานทูตสหรัฐอเมริกาประจำประเทศไทย, ้วีซ่าอเมริกาจากประเทศไทย | No Comments »

For those American Citizens or United States Lawful Permanent Residents who frequently travel abroad, it may sometimes prove necessary to obtain services or assistance from an American Mission abroad. In an effort to forestall fruitless trips by the public to US Posts abroad the administration of this blog routinely posts the holiday closing schedules of various US Missions in Asia. This blogger has personally found that arriving at a US Embassy only to find it closed due to observance of an American or foreign holiday can be frustrating. The following was quoted directly from the official website of the American Institute in Taiwan:

January 2011

• Monday, January 3: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Monday, January  17: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (US Holiday)

February 2011

• Tuesday, February 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Wednesday, February 2 to Monday, February 7: Chinese Lunar New Year Holidays (Local)
• Monday, February 21: Washington’s Birthday (US Holiday)
• Monday, February 28: Peace Memorial Day (Local)

March 2011

• Tuesday, March 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
  

April 2011

• Friday, April 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Monday, April 4: Children’s day (Local)
• Tuesday, April 5: Tomb Sweeping Day (Local)

May 2011

• Monday, May 30: Memorial Day (US Holiday)
  

June 2011

• Monday, June 6: Dragon Boat Festival (Local)

July 2011

• Monday, July 4: Independence Day (US Holiday)

September 2011

• Thursday, September 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Monday, September 5: Labor Day (US Holiday)
• Monday, September 12: Mid-Autumn Festival (Local)

October 2011

• Monday, October 3: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Monday, October 10: National Holiday (Local) also Columbus Day (US Holiday)

November 2011

• Tuesday, November 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Friday, November 11: Veterans Day (US Holiday)
• Thursday, November 24: Thanksgiving Day (US Holiday)
  

December 2011

• Thursday, December 1: Consular Section In-Service Day (AIT/Taipei)
• Monday, December 26: Christmas Day (Observed US Holiday)

Those seeking services such as issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, US Passport, or additional visa pages are well advised to contact and American Citizen Services Section of the nearest US Mission with jurisdiction over the area in which one is physically present.

For the homepage of the official website of the American Institute in Taiwan please click HERE

Those seeking US non-immigrant visas such as the B-2 visa for tourists, the B-1 visa for short term business travelers, the F-1 visa for students, or the J-1 visa for exchange visitors are likely to have their visa application adjudicated by a non-immigrant visa unit of a US Mission abroad. Those seeking immigrant visas for Taiwanese loved ones are likely to process their application through an Immigrant Visa Unit. It should be noted that for purposes of visa application processing the K-1 visa, although technically a non-immigrant US fiance visa, is generally treated as if it were an immigrant visa.

Those seeking Business or Investment visas such as the E-2 visa for Traders, the L-1 visa for intra-company transferees, or an EB-5 visa for immigrant investors should note that an approved immigration petition may be required before a US Mission abroad will process a visa application.

Those seeking advice and/or counsel regarding a pending US immigration matter are well advised to contact a licensed American lawyer in order to gain insight into the practical application of US Immigration law upon the unique facts in a given case.

For related information please see: CR1 Visa.

Tags: American Institue Taiwan, American Institute Taiwan Holiday Closings, American Lawyer, B-1 Visa Taiwan, B-2 Visa Taiwan, CR-1 Visa Taiwan, E-2 Visa Taiwan, EB-5 Visa Taiwan, F-1 Visa Taiwan, J-1 Visa Taiwan, K-1 Visa Taiwan, K1 Visa Taiwan, L-1 Visa Taiwan, US Consulate Taiwan, US Embassy Taiwan, US Mission Taiwan, US Tourist Visa Taiwan
Posted in American Institute Taiwan, CR1 Visa, E2 Visa, EB5 Visa, IR1 Visa, J1 visa, K1 Visa, K2 Visa, L1 Visa | No Comments »